While some 69% of marketers believe they are ‘progressing well’ or are ‘well advanced’ in terms of integrating sustainability into marketing agendas, execution gaps still remain, a new study by United Nations Global Compact and Kantar has found.
The UN Global Compact–Kantar CMO Benchmark Study, a first-of-its-kind report designed to measure the marketing industry’s progress in advancing sustainable transformation, surveyed more than 1,700 leaders working across a variety of industries and countries.
‘Industry-wide picture’
“This benchmark report gives us that industry-wide picture,” commented Sanda Ojiambo, CEO and executive director of the UN Global Compact. “It highlights both momentum and critical gaps – and the decisions and capabilities that will move the industry faster and further.
“The message is clear: sustainable growth is not the future of marketing – it is the mandate today. Brands that lead will build trust, unlock innovation and secure long-term performance.”
The report, which is grounded in the CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth, found a gap between strategic goals and execution when it comes to sustainability, with average perceived performance across the Blueprint’s 28 benchmark statements standing at 52%.
Sustainable progress is strongest in areas where firms have direct marketing control, such as communications, advertising & media (56%) and brand strategy (54%). However, in areas requiring broader systems change and cross-functional coordination, such as innovation (50%) and collaboration and partnerships (48%), lower performance was reported.
Differences in perception were also recorded among marketing and sustainability professionals – while more than a quarter (27%) of marketers believe their organisation is ‘well advanced’ in sustainable transformation, just 9% of sustainability professionals agree.
In addition, opinions were split over the opportunities from circular business models – close to half (49%) of sustainability leaders said profitable growth could be achieved through circular economy models, compared with only 25% of marketers.
Sustainability perceptions
“The impacts of climate change are well understood – and the risk is material,” added Jonathan Hall, managing partner, Sustainable Transformation Practice, Kantar. “But, within this urgency lies enormous opportunity: sustainability perceptions already contribute as much as 10% of value to the Kantar BrandZ Global Top 100 most valuable brands.
“And while marketing and sustainability leaders recognise their responsibility and the scale of the opportunity, turning intention into impact requires system change and new ways of working. This benchmark report points to how marketing and sustainability can together create value in ways that benefit both people and the planet.” Read more here and here.
